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CNN Live Saturday

Iraq Destroys More Al Samoud 2 Missiles

Aired March 08, 2003 - 18:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq destroyed more of its Al Samoud 2 missiles today. And this weekend, a whole lot of phone calls are being made involving U.N. members, all to try and resolve on whether to have a vote this week on the second resolution.
Let's go to our Richard Roth at the U.N.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, here at the United Nations, rather quiet on a Saturday evening, but phone calls being made, we are told, from capitols of key governments in all of the countries that sit on the 15-nation U.N. Security Council.

The possibility of war certainly grew a little closer because the U.S, U.K. and Spain introduced changes to a resolution putting a March 17 deadline on Iraq. Now, however, this does not mean it is a certainty that that deadline will be imposed.

France, Russia, China among countries on the Security Council, at the moment a majority, that think the inspectors should be given more time on the ground. They're making progress, the inspectors said. And they asked for more time on Friday.

Today, I asked Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who handles the nuclear file on Iraq, what's the impact of this deadline on him and his agency?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIR. GENERAL, INT'L ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: Well, what it does, Richard, that we need to accelerate out efforts we need to continue to press the Iraqis to come with whatever they have left to be able to convince the Security Council, before that deadline, if that deadline is accepted. That Iraq does not have a nuclear weapon program, has not revived that nuclear weapon program.

I would hope that Hans Blix will able, also, to do something similar. Because unless both of us are able to register dramatic progress before that deadline we are not sure of the outcome.

ROTH (on camera): So, you oppose this deadline?

ELBARADEI: Well, not oppose the deadline. The deadline is not my own making, but what I'm saying, that we are making progress, in the nuclear area. Hans Blix, also, said he is making some progress, not as much as he would like to do. And whether the Security Council would give us additional time to complete the job, or whether they think that is not in the cards, that Iraq is not cooperating enough and we should think of other alternatives -- that is obviously the prerogative of the Security Council.

I believe that we still have a chance. I believe that war is not inevitable. But the ball is very much in Iraq's court and there is, as you know, a mission going this week, from the Arab League to Iraq, to impress on Saddam Hussein the need to make something which clearly indicates a change of heart, clearly indicate a change in pattern of behavior.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROTH: The top nuclear inspector, there, referred to a peace mission by the Arab League. It hasn't gotten that much attention. But Amr Moussa, the secretary-general of the Arab League, and other foreign ministers of Arab countries are headed to Baghdad sometime in the coming week.

The United States says that it will not call for a vote until Tuesday. Consultations, closed-door consultations of the Security Council will again take place Monday, 4 o'clock, New York time. It is not likely that they will reach agreement considering how far apart, especially, the big powers are. The undecided members are still looking for any type of agreement so they can avoid the huge pressure on them in the tussle for votes. The U.S. needs nine, without any vetoes -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much, Richard, from New York.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired March 8, 2003 - 18:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq destroyed more of its Al Samoud 2 missiles today. And this weekend, a whole lot of phone calls are being made involving U.N. members, all to try and resolve on whether to have a vote this week on the second resolution.
Let's go to our Richard Roth at the U.N.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, here at the United Nations, rather quiet on a Saturday evening, but phone calls being made, we are told, from capitols of key governments in all of the countries that sit on the 15-nation U.N. Security Council.

The possibility of war certainly grew a little closer because the U.S, U.K. and Spain introduced changes to a resolution putting a March 17 deadline on Iraq. Now, however, this does not mean it is a certainty that that deadline will be imposed.

France, Russia, China among countries on the Security Council, at the moment a majority, that think the inspectors should be given more time on the ground. They're making progress, the inspectors said. And they asked for more time on Friday.

Today, I asked Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who handles the nuclear file on Iraq, what's the impact of this deadline on him and his agency?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIR. GENERAL, INT'L ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: Well, what it does, Richard, that we need to accelerate out efforts we need to continue to press the Iraqis to come with whatever they have left to be able to convince the Security Council, before that deadline, if that deadline is accepted. That Iraq does not have a nuclear weapon program, has not revived that nuclear weapon program.

I would hope that Hans Blix will able, also, to do something similar. Because unless both of us are able to register dramatic progress before that deadline we are not sure of the outcome.

ROTH (on camera): So, you oppose this deadline?

ELBARADEI: Well, not oppose the deadline. The deadline is not my own making, but what I'm saying, that we are making progress, in the nuclear area. Hans Blix, also, said he is making some progress, not as much as he would like to do. And whether the Security Council would give us additional time to complete the job, or whether they think that is not in the cards, that Iraq is not cooperating enough and we should think of other alternatives -- that is obviously the prerogative of the Security Council.

I believe that we still have a chance. I believe that war is not inevitable. But the ball is very much in Iraq's court and there is, as you know, a mission going this week, from the Arab League to Iraq, to impress on Saddam Hussein the need to make something which clearly indicates a change of heart, clearly indicate a change in pattern of behavior.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROTH: The top nuclear inspector, there, referred to a peace mission by the Arab League. It hasn't gotten that much attention. But Amr Moussa, the secretary-general of the Arab League, and other foreign ministers of Arab countries are headed to Baghdad sometime in the coming week.

The United States says that it will not call for a vote until Tuesday. Consultations, closed-door consultations of the Security Council will again take place Monday, 4 o'clock, New York time. It is not likely that they will reach agreement considering how far apart, especially, the big powers are. The undecided members are still looking for any type of agreement so they can avoid the huge pressure on them in the tussle for votes. The U.S. needs nine, without any vetoes -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much, Richard, from New York.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com